Room 406, evening

[izzyalienqueen]

Parents Weekend was over and it seemed like everyone had survived with only a minimal of damage. There had been tough parts, good parts, some very good parts, and an unexpected reunion of sorts.

After Monday's classes were over, Isabel went back to her room and got back to work on her applications.

She was going to be extremely glad when the whole process was over.

The door was open.

Comments

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

It's 2am in Oxford. Some people who have drunk way too much coffee trying to finish a paper on the Yangtzee River trade in the 1500's might have nothing better to do than call people on the other side of the planet.

*ring*

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel did the mental math when she saw the caller ID and shook her head. "When do you sleep?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Weekends. And the occasional dinnertime, when I should be eating," Parker said, yawning and draping herself out the window. Crickets chirped quietly as she watched the fog start to settle in over the town. "And, um, probably during class tomorrow, the way I feel right now."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"You need Ronan. He did something to me last night, it gave me just the boost I needed to make it back to the dorms and crash," she told her.

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Pouting into the phone, Parker said, "Well, tell him to come here, then! It's not like anything more exciting than getting busted for rules-breaking has happened to me. Oh, reminds me, how did Parents Weekend go for you?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I might do just that," Isabel said, thinking that Parker would be one hell of a distraction. "So you did get busted for last week's adventure?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"No, I got busted for hanging my jeans out the window to dry. Can you believe it? What kind of stupid rule is that? The dryers here are ancient, I didn't want my jeans shrunk into nothingness or on fire, and they gave me a ticking-off for hanging them out the window." Parker made a face out at the quad and sulked. "I got the most hysterical e-mail from Xander. In every sense of the word. You might want to check and see if he got the vodka I sent him by now."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Did that email have something to do with the fact that his mother was here?" she asked, shaking her head. "I met her at the Meet & Greet on Friday. She was interesting."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Did she really give him a GayWarming present? What the hell is Gaywarming, anyway?" Parker snickered.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel hasn't talked to Xander since the board game from hell incident. Now she's starting to feel bad that she got distracted by Mrs. Petrelli and never called him to warn him.

"She didn't..."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Oh, but she did. Towels. Why towels, I wonder? Is there an etiquette book about this? And evidently she made some comments about him and Bridge showering that sent Xander right back into shock. You need to check on him soon, I don't want to think he's lying on the floor of his apartment, twitching."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Towels are neutral I guess," she shrugged. "And wow, I love them both but that's the too much information. I'll stop by with donuts this week. He'll probably need them."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Definitely a good idea. So, how are you and Lightbulb Boy doing? Any more picnics and snuggling?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"We're doing just fine," Isabel smiled, stretching out on her pillow. "We spent a lot of time together this weekend. It was very nice all things considered."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"All things considered? What, was he down about the parents coming in, and not having any? Or was his grandfather there being a pain?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"How about his parents are really alive and turned up for a visit?" she frowned.

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Whoa. What? Why? And how? And how are they doing?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel decided to keep it short because she still wasn't sure of all the answers herself. "What? You heard me. Why? Because they were in trouble and were trying to keep Wyatt and Chris safe. How? I don't know. I assume magic or something."

"Chris and Wyatt were understandably upset."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Ya think?" Parker snorted. Thinking about if her mom had suddenly showed up alive, after all this time, she asked, "Anyone get slapped? Or possibly, I don't now, orbed? Knowing those two, and all."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"No, not that I know of. They talked. I think they're trying to figure out what to do next." Yawning, she shifted position on her bed, just possibly missing a certain person to curl up next to. "I just tried to be the supportive girlfriend."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Gotta be rough on them. I'm glad you were there to help out." Parker sighed, and glanced upward, trying to see the moon. "How's everyone else doing? Anything new and non-parental related going on?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Well it wasn't all emo all the time. We had some fun to." Yes, that was Isabel sounding content and happy and just a touch smug.

"But as far as anything new? Oh! This had Wyatt flailing a bit. Chris and Lana seem to be starting something."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Chris... and Lana?" Parker made a face of distaste. "She has a boyfriend, doesn't she? That hulking neanderthal guy? Why is she messing around with Chris?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Jim's been gone for a few weeks," Isabel explained. "And he's not coming back. Chris is a nice guy. Maybe they can make something work. I already told her they should take it slow."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"A few weeks." Parker snorted, rolling her eyes. "Right." She made a face, most of her distaste at Lana having been put to rest months ago, but still not thrilled at the idea of her dating anyone Parker knew. "Fine. Whatever. If I gave Chris my opinion, he'd just date her to spite me. He's such a little brother, I swear."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Wyatt would probably agree." Not that Isabel was going to get into the reasons why.

"But other then that, it's been pretty quiet. I've just been sitting here working on college applications."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"You can always apply to Oxford. Or Cambridge," Parker tempted. "And there's some other great schools in England...."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"That's what Mrs. Petrelli said. But how about I just come over for a visit? I like the sun to much to give it up entirely," she laughed.

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Oh, fine, court the skin cancer, desert girl." Parker made another face, then yawned, shutting the window and shivering a little. "Did I tell you I joined the St. John's drama club? The Mummers."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"You didn't. But I can see you doing that," Isabel nodded. "What shows will you be doing?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"They're saying Shakespeare. Again. But also some newer plays...."

And Parker filled Isabel in on her stuff at Oxford, and Allison's latest thing, and Nourhane's quest for the perfect masquerade costume, until she was yawning enough that Isabel ordered her to bed, Parker resisted, Isabel coaxed, Parker laid down, and finally, after more talking, drifted to sleep.